HALIFAX, N.S. – The Province of Nova Scotia is the latest to adopt an hours-of-service (HoS) exemption for those hauling specific Covid-19 relief items.
The exemption is subject to various conditions. Prior to operating under the HoS exemption, the provincial HoS director of the base jurisdiction must be notified in writing.
While under the exemption, the intra-provincial truck partaking must adhere to several criteria, including maintaining a daily log, holding a valid safety fitness certificate not under a “conditional” rating, keep a copy of the exemption in the truck at all times, and drivers must be permitted to rest at least eight hours before again having to report to the home terminal.
Drivers must also follow certain rules when under the HoS exemption, which include indicating in the remarks of their daily log if operating under the exemption, not driving if impaired or fatigued, and taking a minimum of 10 consecutive hours off-duty after the delivery of essential cargo.
For a full list of the provisions, visit https://novascotia.ca/tran/trucking/COVID-19-Relief-Exemption-Signed.pdf.
Items considered to be essential to Covid-19 relief include medical supplies and equipment, food, paper products and other groceries, immediate precursor raw materials, fuel, equipment, supplies, and persons necessary to establish and manage temporary housing and quarantine facilities, and person designated by government authorities for medical and quarantine purposes, as well as those to provide other medical or emergency services.
SOURCE: Truck News Webiste